Ice Cream Connection
by ghanathesaiyan4
Summary: People deal with grief in different ways, turtles are no different and ice cream never made anything worse. - 2k16 live action universe


Ice Cream Connection

A/N: This takes place in the 2k16 live action series but years after. Big Gay Ice Cream shop is a real place, it has great ice cream.

"Raph." He didn't pause in his rep, continuing to focus on the pleasant burn in his arms. "Raph!" Came a persistent whisper, he flicked his gaze backwards to see his youngest brother, near his bench press, upside down by the way he was looking. "What do you want, Mikey?" He grumbled, setting the bar up on the rack, since he was getting the vibe Mikey was gonna ask for something that required him to stop working out. He sat up and then twisted so his legs were on one side of the bench as the smallest of the turtles finished his saunter closer. "Raph, I want ice cream and we're all out." He frowned, thinking about the weather, "It's winter." "I want ice cream." Came the repeating statement. "We got popsicles." He supplied helpfully. "I want ice cream." Again. "It's ten o'clock at night." He complained. "I want ice cream." There was no changing his mind. "Shit, bro." He muttered, teasingly, "You're like a pregnant woman with cravings." Mikey's big blue eyes gazed at him imploringly, purposefully ignoring the comment that could've caused a spat. "Big Gay Ice Cream Shop on 7th is still open." Of course, Mikey would wanna go to that place. "Can't we just go to the bodega?" He asked, begrudgingly giving into the idea that they were getting ice cream tonight. Mikey pouted, whine in voice and big blue eyes, "No, I need cones, Raphie." He was about to add that the bodega probably had some type of cones, before the pleaded specification. "Waffle cones." That ruled out the usual sketchy bodega. Mikey leaned on his closed legs, with all the powers a baby brother possessed over an elder, "Please."

They found themselves at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, which was so oddly named, so of course his youngest brother liked it, bundled up in winter clothes to hide their identities. He let Mikey order first: a Monday Sundae with a nutella lined waffle cone, twist ice cream, with sea salt, some sort of caramel sauce and whipped cream. Then he got a Mexican Affogayto, hoping the cayenne, and spicy hot chocolate would balance out the vanilla ice cream and whipped cream coldness. They got a coffee float for Donnie and a Chai milkshake for Leo, since the cold would keep the mixtures good for the trip home plus those were easier to carry than cones. They excited the store quickly, hopping to the rooftops before the trek into the sewers. He licked his ice cream wondering whether or not to talk but he had the feeling that something needed to be said. "Why the want for ice cream?" Mikey shrugged, licking, "Just felt like it." He probably didn't want to know the answer, but he asked anyway, "Why waffles cones?" A shrug, "They're better for single servings, they're special. Sugar cones are fine for ice cream parties at home since they're cheap and come in bulk." He snorted slightly, "Since when have we ever had a ice cream party?" Mikey giggled slightly, "If we did, I would be fine with sugar cones." It was probably better to leave it all at that cheerful note, but he never was as smart as Donnie or Leo. "But why ice cream?" Mikey sighed softly, pausing in eating to reply, "I don't know Raph, I just wanted it." He understood that but still there was an aching question burning in his throat, "And this has nothin to do with…?" "No." Came the flat reply. They went back to eating their ice cream in silence. Raph's feet were slightly cold but he wouldn't bring it up. It was good to get out like this even if it was only for a bit. They hadn't had any of their human visitors in a while since the bitchy winter had kicked up in notches and he didn't think that Leo would have even wanted visitors nowadays. Their dad had died two weeks before the cold New York winter had set in. It wasn't a painful death, wasn't because of a fight but their sensei had been fully grown for a rat when they had been infants, so it made sense. Master Splinter had died from natural causes which hadn't done much to ease the pain. It wasn't as terrible as when they had first fought Shredder where Sensei had been badly hurt and he was the only one besides April there. His father had begged him to go save his brothers because Sensei would never have been able to live with three of his brothers gone. Natural causes meant that they were there for every parting second, every breathless word before the last. Mikey had been crying in that broken way that normally he would've murdered whoever caused it but their dad had died and what could he do about that? Even though his dad had died in a slow, peaceful way it reminded him of animals being put down which made him feel so sick it was only Leo's fast hands that caught him when vertigo threatened to bring him down to his knees. He wondered how Leo had managed to catch him with all that water clouding his blue eyes. Donnie was numb then, but a week and a half later broke down after he nearly burnt his fingers off soldering. It had been a part of a project and an accident that caused his closest younger brother to make a wordless gasp that alerted his three brothers to his pain faster than any cry for help. He had been sent out to get snow to wrap the scalded fingers in, and by the time he got back there were salty tracks running down Donnie's face from underneath his glasses. Their dad had always been the one who had comforted them when they were younger, murmuring tales of strong warriors in soothing tones as he patched them up. Donnie cried and hung on to Leo, the new head of their clan. Of course, they had all been reeling when it happened. Shaken to their cores and staggering around enveloped in shell cracking grief. They were so lost until finally Leonardo started to get momentum on how to handle their everyday life. They hadn't gone out yet really, the cold keeping their enemies' movements to a minimum and giving them time to work out the new system. Leo paged through the books Splinter had every night before he went to bed, mediating often. He had passed out once from overworking, without sleep, with choking emotions yet had made positive progress since with help from his brothers. Mikey had yet to show any sign of faltering, keeping a cheerful –sometimes sad– outlook on life and the light dancing in his sky blue eyes. They finished their ice cream and headed back to the lair, slushing through the icy sewers, talking fast about nothing to ignore the fact that they were freakin freezing.

Donnie was awake still which was usual but was not working for once and instead just streaming a movie. He headed off to the kitchen, starting to strip out of his winter clothes while Mikey settled in beside Donnie giving over the coffee float. He put the Chai milkshake in the fridge since Leo probably was already asleep or not in the mood for dessert right now then went back to his little brothers. There were only three people in the world know that he gave his whole heart and soul to and the two youngest of the three where on the couch. It didn't matter that the two of them had gear strapped to their shells or tattoos and grown up more in the last 3 years than they had in the first 15. They were still his responsibility, his and Leo's. He wondered what it felt like to be the oldest, or the youngest. He had always been the middle child, middle of Leo and Donnie, middle with Donnie of the four. No matter how many times he bitched to Leo he didn't think he'd ever want to be the oldest. Not with the lives of little brothers on the line, especially not now. He couldn't help but wonder if it would've been easier to take the purple ooze all those months ago. If things would've been easier as humans now that their dad was gone. Donnie would be able to get lost in his work, but out in the real world with countless people to praise his skills. Leo would've been able to take walks in Central Park for all that transcendentalist bull-crap he liked. Mikey, Mikey would've had people to hang out with and understand him, not just three brothers trying to make it just like him. He himself may have joined Casey at his hockey games if it meant getting to beat someone up every now and again. He wonders, he wonders, he wonders.

His green eyes blinked awake, as he stretched out of the couch that he had fallen asleep on. His little brothers were gone away sometime in the night though the tv was still playing, early morning cartoons this time around. There was movement in the corner of his vision, a flash of blue and green that signified Leo was here. He shifted his mask, retying the ties since they had pulled loose during his sleep. "Good morning." Leo said politely, blinking clear blue eyes at him. He had the Chai milkshake in his hands, solemn in the early morning without the sharp edges in his mind training induced. He didn't smile fully at his only older brother, but his eyes were soft without permission. "Thanks for this." Leo said, tipping the cup towards him, sipping on the sweetness. "Thank Mikey," he muttered, turning his head bashfully, "he's the one who wanted ice cream so bad." "Well, then I will." Leo replied quietly, hearing the sounds of their little brothers coming closer this morning. He thought about how Mikey had drawn him away from shutting himself away from the others working out, how they had given Donnie company when they returned and how Leo's morning started on a high note. No matter what happened they would all still be together and connected.

"I will too."


End file.
